Library·Atharvaveda Saṃhitā (Śaunaka)·9·9.10

Atharvaveda Saṃhitā (Śaunaka) 9.10

यद् गायत्रे अधि गायत्रम् आहितं त्रैष्टुभं वा त्रैष्टुभान् निरतक्षत । यद् वा जगज् जगत्य् आहितं पदं य इत् तद् विदुस् ते अमृतत्वम् आनुशुः ॥१॥

yad gāyatre adhi gāyatram āhitaṃ traiṣṭubhaṃ vā traiṣṭubhān niratakṣata | yad vā jagaj jagaty āhitaṃ padaṃ ya it tad vidus te amṛtatvam ānuśuḥ ||1||

That the gāyatrī́ -verse is set (ā-dhā) in the gāyatrī́ -verse, or that they fashioned the triṣṭúbh -verse out of the triṣṭúbh -verse, or that the jágatī step is set in the jágatī (jágat)—whoever know that, they have attained immortality.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

गायत्रेण प्रति मिमीते अर्कम् अर्केण साम त्रैष्टुभेन वाकम् । वाकेन वाकं द्विपदा चतुष्पदाक्षरेण मिमते सप्त वाणीः ॥२॥

gāyatreṇa prati mimīte arkam arkeṇa sāma traiṣṭubhena vākam | vākena vākaṃ dvipadā catuṣpadākṣareṇa mimate sapta vāṇīḥ ||2||

By the gāyatrī́ -verse he measures off the song (arká), by the song the chant (sā́man), by the triṣṭúbh -vevse the hymn (vāká), by the hymn of two feet [or] of four feet the hymn; by the syllable they measure the seven tunes (vā́ṇi).

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

जगता सिन्धुं दिव्य् अस्कभायद् रथंतरे सूर्यं पर्य् अपश्यत् । गायत्रस्य समिधस् तिस्र आहुस् ततो मह्ना प्र रिरिचे महित्वा ॥३॥

jagatā sindhuṃ divy askabhāyad rathaṃtare sūryaṃ pary apaśyat | gāyatrasya samidhas tisra āhus tato mahnā pra ririce mahitvā ||3||

By the jágatī he established (skabh) the river in the sky; in the rathaṁtará he beheld (pari-paç) the sun; they call the three kindlers (samídh) the gāyatrī́ -verse's; it was superior to them by bulk, by greatness.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

उप ह्वये सुदुघां धेनुम् एतां सुहस्तो गोधुग् उत दोहद् एनाम् । श्रेष्ठं सवं सविता साविषन् नो ऽभीद्धो घर्मस् तद् उ षु प्र वोचत् ॥४॥

upa hvaye sudughāṃ dhenum etāṃ suhasto godhug uta dohad enām | śreṣṭhaṃ savaṃ savitā sāviṣan no 'bhīddho gharmas tad u ṣu pra vocat ||4||

I invite that well-milking milch-cow; a skilful-handed milker also shall milk her; may the impeller impel us the best impulse; the hot drink is kindled about: that may he kindly proclaim.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

हिङ्कृण्वती वसुपत्नी वसूनां वत्सम् इछन्ती मनसाभ्यागात् । दुहाम् अश्विभ्यां पयो अघ्न्येयं सा वर्धतां महते सौभगाय ॥५॥

hiṅkṛṇvatī vasupatnī vasūnāṃ vatsam ichantī manasābhyāgāt | duhām aśvibhyāṃ payo aghnyeyaṃ sā vardhatāṃ mahate saubhagāya ||5||

Lowing, mistress of good things, seeking her calf with her mind, hath she come unto [it]; let this inviolable one yield milk for the Açvins; let her increase unto great good-fortune.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

गौर् अमीमेद् अभि वत्सं मिषन्तं मूर्धानं हिङ्ङ् अकृणोन् मातवा उ । सृक्वाणं घर्मम् अभि वावशाना मिमाति मायुं पयते पयोभिः ॥६॥

gaur amīmed abhi vatsaṃ miṣantaṃ mūrdhānaṃ hiṅṅ akṛṇon mātavā u | sṛkvāṇaṃ gharmam abhi vāvaśānā mimāti māyuṃ payate payobhiḥ ||6||

The cow lowed toward the winking calf; she uttered hing at [its] head, in order to lowing; bellowing the mouth (? sṛ́kvan) unto the hot drink, she lows a lowing, she abounds with milk.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

अयं स शिङ्क्ते येन गौर् अभिवृता मिमाति मयुं ध्वसनाव् अधि श्रिता । सा चित्तिभिर् नि हि चकार मर्त्यान् विद्युद् भवन्ती प्रति वव्रिम् औहत ॥७॥

ayaṃ sa śiṅkte yena gaur abhivṛtā mimāti mayuṃ dhvasanāv adhi śritā | sā cittibhir ni hi cakāra martyān vidyud bhavantī prati vavrim auhata ||7||

This one here twangs, by whom the cow is surrounded; she lows a lowing, being set (çritá) on the sparkler (dhvasáni); since she put down mortals by her thoughts (cittí), becoming the lightning, she threw (ūh) back the wrap.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

अनच् छये तुरगातु जीवम् एजद् ध्रुवं मध्य आ पस्त्यानाम् । जीवो मृतस्य चरति स्वधाभिर् अमर्त्यो मर्त्येना सयोनिः ॥८॥

anac chaye turagātu jīvam ejad dhruvaṃ madhya ā pastyānām | jīvo mṛtasya carati svadhābhir amartyo martyenā sayoniḥ ||8||

Breathing lies the swift moving thing, living, stirring, fixed, in the midst of the abodes (pastyā̀); the living one moves at the will (? svadhā́bhis) of the dead one; the immortal one [is] of like source with the mortal.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

विधुं दद्राणं सलिलस्य पृष्ठे युवानं सन्तं पलितो जगार । देवस्य पश्य काव्यं महित्वाद्य ममार स ह्यः सम् आन ॥९॥

vidhuṃ dadrāṇaṃ salilasya pṛṣṭhe yuvānaṃ santaṃ palito jagāra | devasya paśya kāvyaṃ mahitvādya mamāra sa hyaḥ sam āna ||9||

The shaker-apart (? vidhú) that runs on the back of the sea, being young, the hoary one swallowed; see thou the poesy of the heavenly one with greatness; today he died, yesterday he received breath (sam-an).

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

य ईं चकार न सो अस्य वेद य ईं ददर्श हिरुग् इन् नु तस्मात् । स मातुर् योना परिवीतो अन्तर् बहुप्रजा निरृतिर् आ विवेश ॥१०॥ २६

ya īṃ cakāra na so asya veda ya īṃ dadarśa hirug in nu tasmāt | sa mātur yonā parivīto antar bahuprajā nirṛtir ā viveśa ||10|| 26

He who made him knows not of him; [he is] verily out of sight now of him who saw him; he, enveloped within his mother's womb, with his much progeny, entered into perdition (nírṛti).

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

अपश्यं गोपाम् अनिपद्यमानम् आ च परा च पथिभिश् चरन्तम् । स सध्रीचीः स विषूचीर् वसान आ वरीवर्ति भुवनेष्व् अन्तः ॥११॥

apaśyaṃ gopām anipadyamānam ā ca parā ca pathibhiś carantam | sa sadhrīcīḥ sa viṣūcīr vasāna ā varīvarti bhuvaneṣv antaḥ ||11||

I saw the shepherd, not lying down, moving both hither and thither upon his roads; he, clothing himself in the collecting, he in the dispersing ones, rolls greatly on among existences.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

द्यौर् नः पिता जनिता नाभिर् अत्र बन्धुर् नो माता पृथिवी महीयम् । उत्तानयोश् चम्वोर् योनिर् अन्तर् अत्रा पिता दुहितुर् गर्भम् आधात् ॥१२॥

dyaur naḥ pitā janitā nābhir atra bandhur no mātā pṛthivī mahīyam | uttānayoś camvor yonir antar atrā pitā duhitur garbham ādhāt ||12||

The heaven our father, generator, navel here; this great earth our connection, mother; the womb (yóni) within the (two) outstretched cups (camū́); here the father hath set (ā-dhā) the daughter's embryo.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

पृछामि त्वा परम् अन्तं पृथिव्याः पृछामि वृष्णो अश्वस्य रेतः । पृछामि विश्वस्य भुवनस्य नाभिं पृछामि वाचः परमं व्योम ॥१३॥

pṛchāmi tvā param antaṃ pṛthivyāḥ pṛchāmi vṛṣṇo aśvasya retaḥ | pṛchāmi viśvasya bhuvanasya nābhiṃ pṛchāmi vācaḥ paramaṃ vyoma ||13||

I ask of thee the extreme (pára) end of the earth; I ask the seed of the male (vṛ́ṣan) horse; I ask the navel of all existence; I ask the highest (paramá) firmament (vyòman) of speech.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

इयं वेदिः परो अन्तः पृथिव्या अयं सोमो वृष्णो अश्वस्य रेतः । अयं यज्ञो विश्वस्य भुवनस्य नाभिर् ब्रह्मायं वाचः परमं व्योम ॥१४॥

iyaṃ vediḥ paro antaḥ pṛthivyā ayaṃ somo vṛṣṇo aśvasya retaḥ | ayaṃ yajño viśvasya bhuvanasya nābhir brahmāyaṃ vācaḥ paramaṃ vyoma ||14||

This sacrificial hearth is the extreme end of the earth; this soma is the seed of the male horse; this sacrifice is the navel of all existence; this priest (brahmán) is the highest firmament of speech.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

न वि जानामि यद् इवेदम् अस्मि निण्यः संनद्धो मनसा चरामि । यदा मागन् प्रथमजा ऋतस्याद् इद् वाचो अश्नुवे भागम् अस्याः ॥१५॥

na vi jānāmi yad ivedam asmi niṇyaḥ saṃnaddho manasā carāmi | yadā māgan prathamajā ṛtasyād id vāco aśnuve bhāgam asyāḥ ||15||

I do not distinguish what this is that I am; I go secret, fastened together with mind; when the first-born of righteousness hath come to me, then indeed I attain a share of this speech.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

अपाङ् प्राङ् एति स्वधया गृभीतो ऽमर्त्यो मर्त्येना सयोनिः । ता शश्वन्ता विषूचीना वियन्ता न्य् अन्यं चिक्युर् न नि चिक्युर् अन्यम् ॥१६॥

apāṅ prāṅ eti svadhayā gṛbhīto 'martyo martyenā sayoniḥ | tā śaśvantā viṣūcīnā viyantā ny anyaṃ cikyur na ni cikyur anyam ||16||

Offward, forward goes, seized by svadhā́, the immortal one, of like source with the mortal; the two, constantly going separate apart—the one they noted, the other they noted not.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

सप्तार्धगर्भा भुवनस्य रेतो विष्णोस् तिष्ठन्ति प्रदिशा विधर्मणि । ते धीतिभिर् मनसा ते विपश्चितः परिभुवः परि भवन्ति विश्वतः ॥१७॥

saptārdhagarbhā bhuvanasya reto viṣṇos tiṣṭhanti pradiśā vidharmaṇi | te dhītibhir manasā te vipaścitaḥ paribhuvaḥ pari bhavanti viśvataḥ ||17||

Seven half-embryos, the seed of existence, stand in front (? pradíçā), in Vishṇu's distribution; they, by thoughts (dhītí), by mind, they, inspired, surround on all sides the surrounders.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

ऋचो अक्षरे परमे व्योमन् यस्मिन् देवा अधि विश्वे निषेदुः । यस् तन् न वेद किम् ऋचा करिष्यति य इत् तद् विदुस् ते अमी सम् आसते ॥१८॥

ṛco akṣare parame vyoman yasmin devā adhi viśve niṣeduḥ | yas tan na veda kim ṛcā kariṣyati ya it tad vidus te amī sam āsate ||18||

In the syllable of the verse (ṛ́c) in the highest firmament, on which all the gods sat down: he who knoweth not that, what will he do with the verse? they who know that sit together yonder.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

ऋचः पदं मात्रया कल्पयन्तो ऽर्धर्चेन चक्ळ्पुर् विश्वम् एजत् । त्रिपाद् ब्रह्म पुरुरूपं वि तष्ठे तेन जीवन्ति प्रदिशश् चतस्रः ॥१९॥

ṛcaḥ padaṃ mātrayā kalpayanto 'rdharcena cakḷpur viśvam ejat | tripād brahma pururūpaṃ vi taṣṭhe tena jīvanti pradiśaś catasraḥ ||19||

Shaping (kalpay-) with measure the step of the verse, they shaped by the half-verse all that stirs; the bráhman of three feet, many-formed, spread out (vi-sthā); by that do the four quarters live.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

सूयवसाद् भगवती हि भूया अधा वयं भगवन्तः स्याम । अद्धि तृणम् अघ्न्ये विश्वदानीं पिब शुद्धम् उदकम् आचरन्ती ॥२०॥ २७

sūyavasād bhagavatī hi bhūyā adhā vayaṃ bhagavantaḥ syāma | addhi tṛṇam aghnye viśvadānīṃ piba śuddham udakam ācarantī ||20|| 27

Mayest thou be well-portioned, feeding in excellent meadows; so also may we be well-portioned; eat thou grass, O inviolable one, at all times; drink clear water, moving hither.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

गौर् इन् मिमाय सलिलानि तक्षती एकपदी द्विपदी सा चतुष्पदी । अष्टापदी नवपदी बभूवुषी सहस्राक्षरा भुवनस्य पङ्क्तिस् तस्याः समुद्रा अधि वि क्षरन्ति ॥२१॥

gaur in mimāya salilāni takṣatī ekapadī dvipadī sā catuṣpadī | aṣṭāpadī navapadī babhūvuṣī sahasrākṣarā bhuvanasya paṅktis tasyāḥ samudrā adhi vi kṣaranti ||21||

The cow verily lowed, fashioning the seas; one-footed, two-footed [is] she, four-footed; having become eight-footed, nine-footed, thousand-syllabled, a series (pan̄tí) of existence; out from her flow apart the oceans.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

कृष्णं नियानं हरयः सुपर्णा अपो वसाना दिवम् उत् पतन्ति । तं आववृत्रन्त् सदनाद् ऋतस्याद् इद् घृतेन पृथिवीं व्य् ऊदुः ॥२२॥

kṛṣṇaṃ niyānaṃ harayaḥ suparṇā apo vasānā divam ut patanti | taṃ āvavṛtrant sadanād ṛtasyād id ghṛtena pṛthivīṃ vy ūduḥ ||22||

Black the descent, the yellow eagles, clothing themselves in waters, fly up to the sky; they have come hither from the seat of righteousness; then, forsooth, with ghee they deluged the earth.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

अपाद् एति प्रथमा पद्वतीनां कस् तद् वां मित्रावरुणा चिकेत । गर्भो भारं भरत्य् आ चिद् अस्या ऋतं पिपर्ति अनृतं नि पाति ॥२३॥

apād eti prathamā padvatīnāṃ kas tad vāṃ mitrāvaruṇā ciketa | garbho bhāraṃ bharaty ā cid asyā ṛtaṃ piparti anṛtaṃ ni pāti ||23||

She that is footless goes first of them (fem.) that have feet: who understood (ā-cit) that of you, O Mitra and Varuṇa? the embryo brings (ā-bhṛ) the burden of her; she (?) fills (? pṛ) truth, protects (ni-pā) untruth.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

विराड् वाग् विराट् पृथिवी विराड् अन्तरिक्षं विराट् प्रजापतिः । विराण् मृत्युः साध्यानाम् अधिराजो बभूव तस्य भूतं भव्यं वशे स मे भूतं भव्यं वशे कृणोतु ॥२४॥

virāḍ vāg virāṭ pṛthivī virāḍ antarikṣaṃ virāṭ prajāpatiḥ | virāṇ mṛtyuḥ sādhyānām adhirājo babhūva tasya bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ vaśe sa me bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ vaśe kṛṇotu ||24||

Virā́j [is] speech, virā́j earth, virā́j atmosphere, virā́j Prajāpati; virā́j became death, the over-king of the perfectibles (sādhyá); in his control are what was, what is to be; let him put in my control what was, what is to be.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

शकमयं धूमम् आराद् अपश्यं विषूवता पर एनावरेण । उक्षाणं पृश्निम् अपचन्त वीरास् तानि धर्माणि प्रथमान्य् आसन् ॥२५॥

śakamayaṃ dhūmam ārād apaśyaṃ viṣūvatā para enāvareṇa | ukṣāṇaṃ pṛśnim apacanta vīrās tāni dharmāṇi prathamāny āsan ||25||

The dung-made smoke I saw from far, with the dividing one, thus beyond the lower; the heroes cooked a spotted ox (ukṣán); those were the first ordinances.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

त्रयः केशिन ऋतुथा वि चक्षते संवत्सरे वपत एक एषाम् । विश्वम् अन्यो अभिचष्टे शचीभिर् ध्राजिर् एकस्य ददृशे न रूपम् ॥२६॥

trayaḥ keśina ṛtuthā vi cakṣate saṃvatsare vapata eka eṣām | viśvam anyo abhicaṣṭe śacībhir dhrājir ekasya dadṛśe na rūpam ||26||

Three hairy ones look out seasonably; in the (a?) year one of them shears itself; another looks upon all with might (çácībhis); of one is seen the rush, not the form.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

चत्वारि वाक् परिमिता पदानि तानि विदुर् ब्राह्मणा ये मनीषिणः । गुहा त्रीणि निहिता नेङ्गयन्ति तुरीयं वाचो मनुष्या वदन्ति ॥२७॥

catvāri vāk parimitā padāni tāni vidur brāhmaṇā ye manīṣiṇaḥ | guhā trīṇi nihitā neṅgayanti turīyaṃ vāco manuṣyā vadanti ||27||

Speech [is] four measured out quarters (padá); those are known by Brahmans who are skilful; three, deposited in secret, they do not set in motion (in̄gay-); a fourth of speech human beings speak.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)

इन्द्रं मित्रं वरुणम् अग्निम् आहुर् अथो दिव्यः स सुपर्णो गरुत्मान् । एकं सद् विप्रा बहुधा वदन्त्य् अग्निं यमं मातरिश्वानम् आहुः ॥२८॥ २८

indraṃ mitraṃ varuṇam agnim āhur atho divyaḥ sa suparṇo garutmān | ekaṃ sad viprā bahudhā vadanty agniṃ yamaṃ mātariśvānam āhuḥ ||28|| 28

They call [him] Indra, Mitra, Varuṇa, Agni; likewise he [is] the heavenly winged eagle; what is one the sages (vípra) name (vad) variously; they call [him] Agni, Yāma, Mātariçvan.

Translated by William Dwight Whitney (1905)